Zine Show and Tell

Students had an opportunity to share their zines with their peers.  Kinda like show n' tell back in elementary school.

After our sharing, students filled in the following frame to give Mrs. Anderson some feedback for the next unit.  (Behind the Ballad)

9C - Completed Figurative language Chart for "The Highwayman" and Figurative Language Questions 1-4.  Due Tomorrow! 

Listen with Purpose

Today Grade 9's listened to "Folk Bloodbath," by Josh Ritter and completed the Plot, Conflict, Theme page of their flip book.

Students answered:

Who is the central character (protagonist)?

What is his goal?

Who or What gets in the way?

Students had to make some inferences to understand relationships between the characters of Louis, Delia and Stackalee. 

Once these inferences were made analyzing the plot was a piece of cake!

How Can I Improve Projects?

Today grade 9's reflected on the project process and identified an area to improve upon.

Step 1: Think about your assigned question and record your thoughts before meeting the group.

Step 2: Share your ideas with the group and generating a master list for the class:

Step 3: Present / Post the lists to help complete the Long-term goal Planning Frame:

Step 4: Examine your zines and double check your long-term goal.  (Record it in Google Classroom) 

Plot Diagram Review

Today Grade 9's reviewed plot diagram with "The Raven," by Edgar Allen Poe.

Students read and listened to a recording of the text, narrated by James Earl Jones.

Then they watched The Simpsons adaptation of "The Raven"

Finally, they worked with a partner to complete the plot diagram below using a graphic novel version of "The Raven".

9F finished their Why Graduate Zines today!  They are due Tuesday November 4.  

Examining Highwayman Plot, Conflict, Theme

After completing a close read of "The Highwayman," by Alfred Noyes, students completed SSAS (short story analysis sheet) found in their Highwayman Activities Booklet. (Available in Google Classroom)

We also made a Flip Book for the analysis of Josh Ritter's "Folk Bloodbath".

Grade 9's recorded a plot diagram on the first page of the flip book.  See image below. (open white page)

If students were absent, here is an example of the flip book they will make:

Students will be working in class on understanding each of the elements below:

1. Plot / Conflict / Theme
2. Context (background)
3. Figurative Language
4. Diction
5. Dominant Impression

9ACEG - SSAS due tomorrow and draw and label your plot diagram in your flip book.  : )

Close Reading of "The Highwayman"

Grade 9's worked on their clarifying skills today.  After watching the "Highwayman" video, students read the poem and highlighted items they were having difficulty understanding.

We discussed the text together, visualizing events and using context clues to clear up any confusion about the text.

The final step in this close reading strategy was to record gists, or brief summaries, next to each stanza in the poem. Here are students' gists for each stanza.

Then students completed the Short Story Analysis Sheet in the student activity handout. (Copies available in Google Classroom

This strategy has been modified from  a Vemio video.  See below:

9F has one more block on Friday October 31 to finish their zines.  They are due Monday Nov 3!

Behind the Ballad - Introduction

What is a ballad? What was the purpose of a ballad in history and how has that purpose changed?

9ACEG are currently beginning a study of folk ballads to review story elements and to discover where music fits into our lives.

We began by listening to "Folk Bloodbath,"  by Josh Ritter  and answered the question: How is this song different from those you typically listen to?

After much discussion, students observed that it tells a story...  We reviewed plot diagram, conflict and theme.

We then shifted to a ballad from the past, a classic, "The Highwayman," written in 1920 by Alfred Noyes.  We used this image to discuss what a highwayman was.

Today we'll be examining a representation of this ballad and examining it for it's setting, music, colour palettes, symbolism and plot. 

We'll compare this video with one which has a narrator to understand the poem better.




Students were given an activity booklet for this unit and it can be found in Google Classroom.

We will also be doing a close read of this text and examining its plot completing the organizer below (found in activity booklet).

9F Continues to work on their zines.  They are using their Got it? Get it! checklists to keep themselves on track.  9F Zines are due November 3!